JUDGING PAST EGG PRODUCTION HENS
EVALUATING PIGMENTATION OF THE SHANKS
Cover the top of the foot with your hand to
hide any pigment that may be there.
Some very good layers may never bleach this
part of the foot.
Start at the top of the shank and study the
loss of pigment down the front toward the foot.
The good layer has bleached this area of the
shank.
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Comparing
pigmentation/bleaching of the shank: The good layer has loss of pigment down the front of the shank toward
the foot. |
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Good layer |
Poor layer |
Remember to
consider the pigment loss over the entire shanks (front, back and sides).
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The back of the shank of the good layer has bleached from the foot up
to the hock. Look closely at the bottom of the shanks on the left. There is
no pigment to be seen in the area up to the hock. On the right, the poor
producer has yellow color at the bottom of the shank and on up to the hock. |
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Good layer |
Poor layer |
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Note: Beginning in 1997, shank pigment loss was no longer
divided into front and back of the shanks. Contestants should consider the entire
shank as one in the same when comparing pigment loss. Reason for the
change: Commercial White
Leghorns are showing variations in what order the shank looses pigment. Some
strains of Leghorns actually lose the pigment in the back of the shank faster
than the front of the shank. The change noted above is to help correct the
rules of the contest to accommodate this change seen in the field. |